Keselowski Wins First Race In Style
Sunday, April 26, 2009Posted by
In a race that started with a big wreck, it’s only fitting that it ended in one. On the last lap coming out of the tri-oval rookie driver Brad Keselowski spun out Carl Edwards to win his first career race in one of the most exciting finishes this season.
The last lap wreck also included Ryan Newman, who hit Edwards, emerged uninjured, as did Edwards.
On the last lap coming out of the tri-oval Edwards moved low to block Keselowski but ended up being spun. The rear end of Edwards’ 99 went in to the air, that’s when Newman hit him sending Edwards in to the outside fence, in a wreck reminiscent of Geoffrey Bodine’s wreck in the truck series in 2000 at Daytona.
Keselowski pushed Edwards past Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman on the last lap.
Dale Jr. ended up finishing second to the driver of his number 88 Nationwide Series driver.
Just seven laps into the race a 13 car wreck ignited when Matt Kenseth hit points leader Jeff Gordon, causing him to collide with David Gilliland and sent both cars into the outside wall. The wreck took out many of the favorites of the race.
When Gordon’s car went up the track it blocked all traffic causing about 10 other drivers to collect in.
"It was a little bit of aggressive driving, but everybody's jockeying for position here in the early laps," Gordon said. "I got squeezed and didn't have anywhere else to go. I saw an opening, went for it, and it closed up in a hurry."
Caught up in the wreck were six drivers contending for the Chase, Kasey Kahne, Gordon, Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer, and last week’s winner Mark Martin.
"It's Talladega. You expect it," Gordon said. "You just hope to survive it."
Also involved were, Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray, AJ Allmendinger, and David Ragan.
"How could it not happen," Martin said. "It's not guys losing control of their cars. It's so many in such a wad that you can't help but move up or down on each other and it starts a wreck."
In the pre-race driver’s meeting NASCAR issued a warning to all drivers to avoid a common problem at Talladega, that being wreck less driving.
"If you're thinking you're getting ready to get too close to crossing over this line then draw back," said Race Director, David Hoots.
Some teams took their cars behind the wall to repair them, however drivers like Mark Martin, just called it a day.
Kevin Harvick returned 50 laps later, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne also came back out on the track.
Ryan Newman finished third despite being in the wreck, Marcos Ambrose finished fourth and Scott Speed finished fifth.
Kurt Busch finished sixth as he closed the gap significantly to points leader Jeff Gordon.
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